Curtain rod

ABSTRACT

A wardrobe rod with two brackets includes a tensioning device for tensioning the wardrobe rod along its longitudinal direction. The tensioning device includes a tension member that longitudinally transfixes the wardrobe rod formed as a tube. Its centerline extends beyond its ends displaced with respect to the centerline of the wardrobe rod, and lies at least in the displaced area on contact surfaces of an insert that is supported by the inner wall area of the wardrobe rod opposite the tension member.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to wardrobe rods.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The problem with wardrobe rods is that they sag, both from the influenceof their own weight and from the influence of clothing hung on them. Ina known wardrobe rod of the type disclosed in DE 197 36 565 A1, oneattempts to compensate the bending of the wardrobe rod so that theentire wardrobe rod is tensioned by a threaded piece that operates inconjunction with a counter-threaded area along the longitudinaldirection of the wardrobe rod. The tension created by rotating thethread and counter-thread must be transferred to the walls via thebrackets. By tensioning the wardrobe rod, only a part of the bendingcaused by its own weight or load weight can be compensated because thetensioning forces at the end of the tensioning process increase withoutlimit. The ability to be tensioned therefore depends on the stability ofthe anchoring of the brackets to the wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Based on this state of the art, it is the task of this invention todesign a wardrobe rod with a tensioning device that allows mounting evenwithout extremely strong forces that may no longer be controlled in thatthe wardrobe rod maintains as straight a line as possible in mounted andin loaded condition. The sag of the wardrobe rod must be practicallycompletely capable of being compensated by means of the tensioningdevice.

In the wardrobe rod based on the invention, the tube is transfixedlongitudinally by a tension member whose centerline beyond its endsextends displaced with respect to the centerline of the wardrobe rod innon-loaded condition. The tension member is positioned at leastpartially in the displaced area at the bearing surfaces of an insertthat rests against the inner wall of the wardrobe rod at the endopposite the sliding member. Such an arrangement results in thesituation that the sag may not only be compensated by tensioning thesliding member, but may also be over-compensated. A wardrobe rod formedin such manner and sagging from its own weight and/or load weight isdisplaced upwards by the tensioning of the tension member below in thecentral area. During this, the tension member may be tensioned to adegree beyond the previous bearable tension forces, so that the centralarea of the horizontally-installed wardrobe rod actually moves above thecenterline between the two brackets.

The centerline of the tension member is preferably positioned in thedirection opposite the centerline of the wardrobe rod through which thewardrobe rod sags under the influence of its own weight and/or load.

The tension member is formed to be suitably flexible. By virtue of theflexible form of the tension member, the wardrobe rod based on theinvention may be simple, light, and nevertheless stable.

Other advantageous embodiments of the invention result from thesub-claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will bebetter understood by reading the following detailed description, takentogether with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1a is a longitudinal sectional view of the right end of a firstembodiment of a wardrobe rod and a receiver of a right bracket;

FIG. 1b is a cutaway view of the embodiment of FIG. 1a with bracket in afully transparent view;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wardrobe rod and bracket of FIGS. 1aand 1 b with the bracket fully shown;

FIG. 3a is a longitudinal sectional view of a second embodiment of awardrobe rod without a bracket;

FIG. 3b is a transparent view of FIG. 3a;

FIG. 4a is a sectional view of another embodiment of a wardrobe rodwithout a bracket;

FIG. 4b is a transparent view of the embodiment of FIG. 4a;

FIG. 5 is a perspective of the lower part of a bracket for attachment tothe wall; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bracket with a wardrobe rod inaccordance with the embodiments of FIGS. 3 or 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the various illustrations, identical or corresponding parts areidentified using consistent reference numerals. They are distinguishedfrom one another as necessary using apostrophes.

For the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the tension applied to a tensionmember 3 is transferred to the wall to which the bracket is attached bymeans of the receiver 2 and the other parts of the bracket via securingscrews 12. In this embodiment, the bracket serves as the abutment forthe tension member or pre-stressing element.

For the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the end of the wardrobe rod 1itself serves as the abutment for the tensioning device by means ofwhich the tension member 3 or 3′ is tensioned.

Regarding the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2:

A wardrobe rod 1 is formed as a tube. An insert piece 4 is inserted inthe center of the tube 1 which is surrounded and contacted by an innerwall 1 c of the tube 1. The piece 4 is essentially one solid piece thatincludes a continuous longitudinal slot 4 b. The width of thelongitudinal slot 4 b corresponds to the diameter of a tension member 3formed as a cord. The height of the slot 4 b changes along the length ofthe insert piece 4. In the center area (not shown) of the insert piece4, which coincides with the central area of the wardrobe rod 1, thelongitudinal slot 4 b is shortest, and at both ends of the insert piece4 (of which only the right end is shown in FIGS. 1a and 1 b), thelongitudinal slot is tallest. The base of the longitudinal slot 4 bforms a contact surface for the tension member 3. As seen from the endareas, the base of the longitudinal slot 4 b serving as a contactsurface 4 a extends almost the entire length of the insert piece 4 belowthe longitudinal centerline 1 a of the wardrobe rod 1.

The tension member 3, which might be a metal cable, for example, extendsinto a tension element 5. The route is determined by an adjusting screw6 by means of which the tension element 3 is guided into a slot 5 dwhose width is approximately the same as the width of the tension member3. The tension member 3 is fed downward behind the adjustment screw 6,namely into a central hole 5 c coaxial with the axis 1 a of both thewardrobe rod 1 and of the tension element 5. The end of the tensionmember 3 is attached in the central hole 5 c of the tension element 5 bymeans of headless screws 7, 8, and 9 pointing radially inwards.

The tension element 5 includes a cylindrical outer wall with a diameterthat matches the diameter of the inner wall 1 c of the wardrobe rod 1,as well as the diameter of the inner wall 2 a of the receiver 2 of thebracket.

The tension element 5 may be displaced longitudinally both within thewardrobe rod 1 and the receiver 2.

The tension element 5 is hindered by a twist about the central axis 1 abecause it possesses an eccentric hole 5 a into which a guide pin 11engages. The guide pin 11 is threaded into a front-side thread 2 a ofthe receiver 2.

The tension element 5 includes a threaded hole 5 b connected to thecentral hole 5 c that receives the end of the tension member 3. Thethreaded shaft of a screw 10 whose head includes an internal six-sidedwrench surface engages in this threaded hole 5 b. The head of the screw10 rests on a shoulder 2 b of the front area of the receiver 2. When thescrew 10 is turned, the tension element 5 moves left or right along theaxis 1 a, depending on the rotation direction.

The receiver 2 of the bracket (see FIG. 2) forms a cover plate 2 d and atransition area 2 e. The transition area 2 e, which is attached to thecover plate 2 d is attached to a base plate 17 by screws 15 and 16. Thebase plate 17 is attached by a total of four attaching screws 12 thatare in turn screwed into fixed mounting anchors in the wall.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, in contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 1,both the insert piece 4′ and the abutment of the screw 10 are altered.The screw 10 lies with its head on a shoulder of a stop 13 resting onthe front surface of the wardrobe rod 1. The stop 13 is recessed, and insuch a manner that its connection 13 a is centered on the inner wall 1 cof the wardrobe rod 1. The guide pin 11 is threaded into the threadedhole 13 c, and prevents rotation of the tension element 5 when it istensioned by means of the screw 10 also in this embodiment example.

The insert piece 4′ in this embodiment is formed essentially as a tubefitting into the inner diameter of the wardrobe rod 1. However, the tubeincludes on its underside a channel 4 b′ opening toward the bottom whosecross-section corresponds to the outer cross-section of the tensionmember 3, and that extends over the entire length of the insert piece4′. The channel base 4 c in the illustrated area is interrupted, andserves as a contact surface 4 a′ for the tension member 3 in the visibleleft area of FIG. 3.

The embodiment of FIG. 4 essentially corresponds to the embodiment ofFIG. 3 to the extent that the tension member 3′ in FIG. 4 is fed throughthe entire length of an uninterrupted longitudinal slot 4 b″ of theinsert piece 4″. The continuous contact surface 4 a″ for the tensionmember 3′, whose centerline is identified by 3 a′, is located on theupper side of the slot 4 b″.

For the example of FIG. 4, the tension member 3′ passes over the screw6, and from there rises to the central hole 5 c, in which the end of thetension member 3′ is fixed by means of clamping screws 7, 8, and 9 inthe same manner as in FIG. 3.

In all three embodiments, in the center area of the inserts, thecenterline of the tension member is displaced downward with respect tothe centerline 1 a of the wardrobe rod 1. In FIG. 1, the centerline 3 aextends in an arc, along a hyperbolic curve, for example. In theembodiment of FIG. 3, the centerline 3 a of the tension member 3 in thecentral area of the insert 4′ extends completely straight and adjacentto the lower-positioned inner wall of the wardrobe rod 1. In theembodiment of

FIG. 4, the centerline 3 a′ of the tension member 3′ passes over theentire length of the insert 4″ straight and parallel to the centerline 1a of the wardrobe rod 1.

The decisive issue in all cases for the effect of the various solutionsis the displacement downward, i.e., in the direction of the sag underthe influence of its own weight and load, of the tension member 3 or 3′in connection with the lever action that is exerted on the inserts 4 or4′ or 4″ by the tensioned tension member, and is transferred via thecontact of the insert with the upper inner wall area 1 b.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show another tension option for the wardrobe rod. FIG. 5shows a base plate 17′ of a bracket that can be threaded into fixed wallopenings such as drywall anchors by means of four attachment screws 12.A bracket element 19 is located in the base plate 17′ that may belongitudinally displaced within the base plate 17′ in the direction ofthe double arrow 18. The bracket element 19 includes three countersinkholes 19 a on its front side. Mortises (not visible) of the shoulder 2 emay engage in these countersink holes to attach the cover plate 2 d. Theshoulder 2 e is firmly attached to the receiver 2′. The mortises (notshown) of the shoulder 2 e located on the rear side of the cover plate 2d, are so positioned that they engage and fit into the shoulder holes 19a. The shoulder 2 e is held in the engaged position of the shoulderswithin the shoulder holes 19 a by means of the bracket element 19 whenthe securing screws 15 and 16 that transfix the base plate 17′ at anangle are tightened.

The bracket 19 may be moved in the direction of the double arrow 18 withthe help of the screw 14, depending on rotation direction. Thus, theshoulder 2 e, the cover plate 2 d, and the receiver 2′ are resultantlymoved. The receiver 2′ may be connected firmly with the wardrobe rod 1by means of clamping screws 20.

The described design of the bracket thus allows the application ofadditional tension by rotating the screw 14, with the result that theprogression of the pre-stressed wardrobe rod may be adapted very closelyto a straight progression.

Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art areconsidered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is notto be limited except by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wardrobe rod comprising: an elongated tubular rod including a first centerline and defining a cavity having an inner wall; an insert piece disposed within, and proximate, a center of said cavity of said elongated tubular rod such that a portion of said insert piece contacts said inner wall of said elongated tubular rod, said insert piece having a continuous, longitudinal opening having a contact surface wherein a substantial portion of a center portion of said longitudinal opening is disposed beneath said first centerline; and a tension device for tensioning said elongated tubular rod along a longitudinal direction, wherein said tension device includes a second centerline and a tension member longitudinally transversing said elongated tubular rod such that a portion of said tension member is disposed in said longitudinal opening in contact with said contact surface.
 2. The wardrobe rod as in claim 1, wherein said second centerline is displaced in a direction in which said wardrobe rod sags under influence of gravity.
 3. The wardrobe rod as in claim 2, wherein the tension member is flexible.
 4. The wardrobe rod as in claim 3, wherein the tension member is a cable or tension rod.
 5. The wardrobe rod as in claim 4, wherein the elongated tubular rod further includes a central area and an end area, and the tension member further includes an end area, wherein said tension member is displaced at said end area of said tension member and at the end area of the elongated tubular rod in a direction opposite a sag direction in the central area of said elongated tubular rod.
 6. The wardrobe rod as in claim 5, wherein the tension member extends in the displaced central area adjacent to the inner wall of the elongated tubular rod.
 7. The wardrobe rod as in claim 6, wherein the insert piece lies essentially around and inside the inner wall of the wardrobe rod.
 8. The wardrobe rod as in claim 7, wherein the contact surface for a displaced area of the tension member is formed in said longitudinal opening at a circumference of the insert piece.
 9. The wardrobe rod as in claim 8, wherein the tension device for the tension member includes a male threaded area that interacts with a female thread.
 10. The wardrobe rod as in claim 9, wherein the tension device includes a screw that interacts with the female thread of a tensioning element to which one end of the tension member is attached.
 11. The wardrobe rod as in claim 10, wherein the tension device includes an abutment formed by a bracket affixed to the wall.
 12. The wardrobe rod as in claim 11, wherein the abutment of the tension device is formed by the rod.
 13. The wardrobe rod as in claim 12, wherein the bracket includes a holding arm which is adjustable and fixable along the longitudinal direction of the wardrobe arm.
 14. The wardrobe rod as in claim 13, wherein the bracket includes a receiver that surrounds the elongated tubular rod at a first and second end of said elongated tubular rod. 